PETERBOROUGH, N.H., Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- K-12 educators nationwide will soon be invited to attend a professional development conference unlike any they've experienced. Staff Development for Educators (SDE) is delighted to announce its brand-new Extraordinary Educator's Conference, taking place in Chicago, July 20-24, 2013.

The conference is a fresh and timely four-day event that is designed to meet the most current and demanding needs of educators—needs that they have shared with SDE for helping every student become successful. Conference content is aligned with cutting-edge pedagogical thinking and today's evolving classroom technology innovation.

"This event is new. It's fresh. And it's packed with elements that educators have specifically asked us for," says an enthusiastic Kate Maggs, SDE's Program Planning Manager. "With its timely focus on the new Common Core State Standards, the addition of tons of innovative new tech sessions, its cutting edge approaches to thinking about education, and its lively hands-on learning, tech labs, ask-the-expert sessions, and Make and Take projects, it's going to be an unbelievably great four days!"

Far from a one-size-fits-all program, the Extraordinary Educator's Conference will offer 15 different topic "strands," including 21st Century Skills, Common Core State Standards, Assessment, Differentiated Instruction, and much more. When choosing their sessions, attendees can follow an individual strand throughout the conference or mix and match sessions from a variety of strands.

The "Cutting Edge" strand is made up of sessions in which educators discuss new and different ideas like Visual Learning or Globalizing Education—sessions that make people think about education and their classrooms in a different way.

The "Ask the Expert/Cafe Style" strand is comprised of small intimate sessions in which participants can ask questions and share ideas, while the presenter answers questions and facilitates the discussion.

Another innovative conference feature are sessions called Ed Camps, in which a grade-level-specific group and their presenter decide at the beginning what they are going to talk about.

The lineup of presenters is replete with education luminaries. "This is a dedicated team of truly extraordinary educators," adds Maggs. "They are thought leaders who, as individuals, are the movers and shakers in K-12 education, committed to improving learning success for all children. Participants will learn things that they have not encountered at any other event."

Included on the list of top presenters is Yong Zhao, PhD, an internationally known scholar, author, and speaker whose work focuses on the implications of globalization and technology for education. He has designed schools that cultivate global competence, developed computer games for language learning, and founded research and development institutions to explore innovative education models. He has published over 100 articles and 20 books.

Joining Yong Zhao will be Rick Wormeli, who is widely regarded as one of the most innovative, passionate, well-researched, and practical educators on the planet, literacy expert Tim Shanahan, PhD, math expert Greg Tang, urban education expert Baruti Kafele, multiple-award-winning school-improvement and literacy expert Douglas Fisher, PhD, and many more.

About SDE

SDE provides professional development for preK through grade 12 educators. Through Onsite PD, PD Events, Web-based PD, and PD Resources, the company empowers teachers and administrators across the country with ongoing professional development that is not only research-based, innovative, and rigorous, but also practical, motivating, and fun. All SDE training is presented by the nation's top authors and educational experts, with the goal of creating extraordinary classrooms that prepare students for the evolving demands of the 21st century.

Educators interested in learning more about SDE's national conferences and the many other professional development opportunities offered by SDE can visit the company's website, www.SDE.com, or call 1-800-462-1478.